It's Not Over
by Kyllikki Kills
Summary: Left in a time far from her own, alone and lonely, Karin carves out a dreary life teaching at a local elementary school. Will she fall into Yuri's habits or will he come to save her from herself? Rated M for possiblity of Mature content later.
1. It's Not Over

A/N: This started off as a song fic but due tot he new rules here on I have removed the lyrics portion. I'm sure it made more sense with them but these things can't be helped. The song was "It's Not Over" by Chris Daughtry.

Also, I do no own or claim to own any of the characters in the Shadow Hearts series and am making no profits off of the posting of this story. I do suggest you at the very least play Shadow Hearts Covenant if you haven't played any of the Shadow Hearts games. I'm totally in love with the second game in the series. BTW, this fic is spoiler city!

Chapter One

When you let me go at the end of time I was a little surprized even though I shouldn't have been. What could I have said? Really? When you stood there as I prayed for my perfect world the pieces did come together. It made more sense than you know. I realized that you were truely afraid of the Mistletoe's curse or you missed Alice too much to come with me. Either way I still haven't figured out what the perfect world would be for you. I will probably never know that but what I do know is when you stood there and let me go you took away everything. In that one moment, you know the one where you thanked me and let go, you took away the only thing that was left in this world that mattered to me. In case you missed it... That was you. So I nodded and went on like I understood and could handle it, just like I always do. Unfortunately my perfect world is missing the only person left that really matters to me. I can't deal with it either...

I really have tried to find a reason to go on. Something to make this life worth living. When we were together I always tried to smile and point out the good things in life. We were all faced with so many terrible realities... I tried my hardest to make it easier for all of us to bear but now those good things I spoke of are gone. You kept them with you. I only wish you were here. I really think we could have had the perfect little life we always wanted. I know we could have made it all worth while... Don't you think we could have made this something good? I do. If it's something I did, I'll do whatever I can to make it right. Is it something I didn't do? I'll do it... Or I'll at least try.

Can we start over please? Let's start over Yuri. If not now, maybe in some other life. I promise I'll try to do it right. I will. I can't believe it's over... No, it can't be. It's not. The truth is you kept a piece of me with you and other is dead and buried. So it will never be over...

I found myself here by following you. The same thing you did after losing Alice is what I've done now in my search for you ro happiness or whatever might pass the time. You let a part of you die with her and now I've let part of myself do the same with you. Loving you will be the death of me but you knew that when you let me go, didn't you? The truth is you are the only one I've ever loved and probably the only one I ever will love.

The truth is my heart can't take anymore and neither can the rest of me. It's been almost a year and nothing here is even tolerable. This place is everything I ever wanted the world to be but without you, it's not worth it. I can't wait any longer. This is just a waste of time and life energy. I've tried to be strong for you. I let you go on without knowing how I felt so you wouldn't have to feel guilt over any decision you made. I held on even after you tried to bring her back. I did it all for you. I finally told how you how I felt because I couldn't hold that back but I held on to you because my time with you meant everything, it still does. I won't give up on us. My love, our journey, the perfect world... Everthing was misunderstood but I promise I'll try to do it right this time.

Dead and in the ground... She is. Along with your heart and mine. It's not over. You don't have to forget her but please just let me in. You've been caught up in yourself and the past for way too long.

Killing me... It's not... Is it over?

Never before had the words of any song struck her so deeply but her thoughts poured out with the lyrics as did her tears. Nothing had made her stay in her "perfect world" remotely bearable. In fact, it was made worse by the fact it was so perfect. Sure it had it's flaws but compared to the world she'd left of war, demons, gods possessing humans, and religious fanatics the problems of this world seemed petty. She sobbed into her hands as the darkness of night spread over the land. All her thoughts were of him and she couldn't make them go away no matter how hard she tried. They were there to stay. Even if she did manage to cry herself to sleep that night she knew she'd dream of him once again. All too often she was left with the question of whether or not it was worth it.

"Does it get better or am I left with your fate Yuri?" She asked the question aloud though there was no one to hear it. She'd found herself doing that more and more. With no real friends she spoke to the ones that were no longer by her side. Most of the time she guessed their answers. This time she hoped that her question might reach through time, space, and whatever else separated them for an answer. She sighed heavily realizing her answer may never come from him, instead it would probably come from the cruel beasts of fate and time.

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	2. New Beginnings?

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Chapter 2

Sun poured in through the uncovered window, just as it always did. She never needed an alarm clock. That laughing sun always woke her around the same time every morning. She had always prefered the moon light but now she embraced it. It remeinded her of the life she used to have and of Yuri. As the days had passed since her sentance on perfect island, she'd come to love the moon and the darkness more with each passing day.

Grudgingly she rose from the bed and made her way through the small apartment to her bathroom. She had returned to Germany for a while after she'd been left in this time, just long enough to get used to having her own bathroom before she made the move to Japan. 'If I'm going to find him,' she thought, 'this will be the place.' Now she had a rather expensive apartment in downtown Tokyo. She turned on the water in the shower before undressing. She realized the convience of this age and how truely lazy many of it's people had become. 'Luxury comes at a price,' she thought before entering the steamy shower. It wasn't long before her thoughts returned to the end of time.

It seemed like a cruel joke that when she dreamed that world it would be so far away from her time. After a while she began to wonder if the others had bothered to specify a time to return to. If they had failed to do so they might have found themselves in the same situation. Of course the only person she didn't see at least asking to return to a certain person or certain people was Joachim. It was a wonder she hadn't seen him around since wrestling had become such a popular sport she believed he may have ended up in her time doing that. The rest seemed to have people they wanted to return to. Always the mystery was Yuri. She wondered if he's died and returned to Alice, let the curse take him over, wished for a world with no curse and Alice in it. Maybe he wished to start over again or to be with... No, he wouldn't have wished that.

She leaned against the cold shower tiles for a minute as she tried to push her thoughts away. It wasn't really the best way to start a day. If she allowed this to continue she knew she'd never leave the house.

She quickly finished getting ready so she wouldn't have time for too many thoughts to creep up on her. She had, with some luck, found a job teaching the young Japanese children both English and German. Her days were hectic but her nights, after she planned out her lessons, were boring and often lonely. Though she'd had quite a few date offers but she'd turned most of them down as gently as possible. The offers she did accept she ended up being miserable so she'd decided it best to avoid the situation altogether until she had gotten over Yuri, if that happened. She was thankful that her job took up so much time. It was something really the only thing she enjoyed but some days even it was hard to bear. After being the only female in the German army during her time and saving the world... Teaching was a little anticlimatic, not to mention the pain she felt when a child came into her one of her classes who reminded her of Yuri.

She made it through her day like she had all the others with a gentle, understanding smile and patience she really shouldn't have any more. Dealing with her comrads had certainly been more challenging than dealing with the five year-old in her class. But which one did she really prefer?

She made her way back to her apartment on foot as always but this time she took the long route, window shopping. The strange fashions gave her some entertainment. She thought about buying a few things but settled on just going home. The weekend would be a good time to shop as it would occupy her mind at least for a little while. She continued walking until she reached her apartment.

The redhead entered her dwelling and set her school bags down on a chair near the door. She made her way slowly down the hall to her bedroom before disrobing. Though she was no more Japanese than Joachim, she chose a delicate dark blue kimono with silver embroidery of traditional Japanese dragons. She let her hair down out of the bun she'd pinned it up in and moved to the closet. She choose a pair of black flats and made her way back to the door of her apartment, tucking the key and some money under the silver obi. After double checking the lock, she made her way back to the main street. It was time to wonder the streets of Tokyo, alone again, in search of something, everything and nothing.

She wasn't sure how long she'd been walking when she heard a familiar voice. Unsure of whether it was her imagination she walked over to a near-by fountain to and sat on the edge of it staring into the shallow water. She's heard that voice so many times she didn't bother looking around to see if it was real anymore. It hadn't been thus far so she tried to ignore it, feeling the tears well up in her eyes as she slipped her fingers over the surface of the water, making little ripple patterns around them.

"Karin?" The voice was significantly closer and questioning. After a moment she gave in and turned to confirm to herself that it wasn't the man she spent all of her free time thinking of. When she saw the brilliant, true to life image of him approaching her, she blinked a few times to be sure she wasn't day dreaming. When she saw the smirk cross his face, she rose to her feet quickly and ran to him. She jumped into his arms, not caring whether it was appropriate or what his reaction might be. She had to be close to him. She sighed as she felt his muscular wrap around her protectively. A set of warm lips pressed against her neck.

"I'm so sorry," she heard him whisper as he squeezed her.

"Yuri, you're ok," her voice was weak and full of all the emotions she had bottled up inside as well as new ones that had never been felt.

"Yes. I am and I'm so sorry for everything," he spoke with his lips pressed against the sensitive skin of her neck.

"Yuri..."

"Yes?"

"Are you staying this time," she asked, not responding to his apologies.

"Yes... As long as you want me around," he reassured her.

"Then all is forgiven," she whispered back.

"You always gave your forgiveness and love so freely," he said as he moved her so he could look her in the eye. "I really am sorry for everything I put you through to chase my obsession. I finally realised that she gave her life so that I could go on and be happy... Not for me to throw my new life away."

"The curse," she asked getting to the point quickly.

"Gone... It's kinda a long story though," he pointed out.

"I thought we couldn't break it," she asked.

"I suppose we weren't supposed to be able to but it's broken," he smiled. She nodded and smiled. "We should probably find shelter. Looks like that's gonna be a nasty storm," Yuri spoke looking up to the sky.

"You're right. My apartment is close. I was going to go get something to eat but the apartment is a lot closer than the resturant... We could call for delivery," she offered.

"Sounds good to me. I'm starving," he laughed.

"Good because I know of an amazing place that will deliver," she smiled. "They always send too much for just one person." He smiled back at her. When he felt her weight shift and her arms drop he waited a moment before letting his own drop and taking her hand.

"Which way is your house from here," he asked as the thunder rang once again.

"Two blocks north and half a block east," she said returning her eyes to the side walk behind him. "We should hurry... The storm is getting close quickly," she pointed out. He nodded and turned in the direction she'd indicated. They walked quickly, hand-in-hand. After a couple of moments in silence Karin spoke.

"What are you thinking Yuri," she asked, not sure she really wanted the answer to that.

"How natural it feels to be close to you... Don't get me wrong. I loved Alice but it never felt this way with her," he admitted to her and himself for the first time. He heard Karin make an involuntarhy noise but she said nothing. They continued to walk without words towards her home. As they made it closer to the building they began to feel a slight sprinkle of rain.

"So much for beating the weather," Karin laughed as the rain suddenly poured down on and around them.

"Yeah...," Yuri responded, feeling his hair and clothes clinging to his body after just a few seconds. "Karin," he said. The sound of her name caused her to stop, though the wind and rain were still picking up. She looked up at him as she swept her soaked bangs away from her face. Yuri's hands found her cheeks. He smiled before placing a soft kiss on her lips. He could feel her lips curl into a smile as her arms wrapped around his torso once more. He smiled against her lips before using his tongue to lightly trace her lower lip. Her lips parted inviting him to deepen the kiss. He took the opportunity and stroked her tongue gently with his own to invite her to do whatever she pleased. She squeezed him and kissed him with all the passion, love, and sadness she'd held back for so long. He returned that with all of his feelings of love, adoration, lust, and passion for her. He finally broke the kiss feeling the urge to tell her something he'd neglected to tell her directly before. "Karin, I love you."

"I love you too, Yuri," she whispered as tears welled up in her eyes but her smile spread across all of her features, not just her lips.

Yuri wondered if this really was the perfect world they'd hoped for. He also took a moment to silently thank Alice for her role in his return to the world he'd been ready to exit at end of time. Had it not been for their love for each other every part of his life would be so different. Alice was not only the reason he'd continued on but also the reason he was no longer cursed. She had all the answers it'd seemed. She was the reason he'd returned to a world that was curse free, free of mad men hoping to be gods, and a world that could give him a second chance to love and be loved. He realized in that moment that he shouldn't have let her go to begin with.

"You're soaked. I need to get you out of this mess," he brought up as soon as he came out of his thoughts.

"You need to get indoors too. Men are struck by lightening four times as often as women and I'll be damned if I'm gonna get you back just to have you taken away from me the same day," she laughed, though he knew she was serious.

"With all the demons and gods living in my body, I don't really think lightening is the least of my worries. I can take a lot more damage than that..."

"You can still..."

"Fuse... Yes. I don't know what that means or if it means anything at all but either way it'd be much more pleasant and safe to discuss this indoors," he pointed out after the booming thunder had ended for the moment.

"You're right," she sighed. "Too bad there are still people out or I'd say you should fuse cause your fusions are hot blooded and really quick," she joked.

"I don't think the people here would appreciate it," he laughed. "That might just destroy this world we've dreamed up though... You know, the sighting of a demon. Then it might just be us against the world again."

"I don't wanna do that again but I didn't mind it when it was us against the world, though I was constantly terrified we were gonna lose or worse lose each other," she laughed. "It seems silly now... We were so strong together and we had each other's backs. I never doubted we'd win but I was still afraid the cost of winning would be way too high. It almost was but even that didn't last too long I suppose. It just all seems so weird... Like a nightmare laced with heaven," she tried to put her feelings but the words she was reaching for seemed to move further and further away as she struggled more to grasp them.

"The feelings are mutual and impossible to express. All I know is that I'm glad I didn't have to watch anyone die this time around..."

"Exactly, though I thought you did," she hesitated. "Seems strange that we did in someways though. There were a lot of times we shouldn't have..."

"But we did. I guess that means we were on the right side," he smiled. "If not, I'm sure we wouldn't have made it."

"For all the right reasons," she said, obviously speaking out loud. "Strange isn't it? None of us had a real direction when we met... We were all so different, with different goals, dreams, and wishes but we ended up walking a long road together and though our reasons were different we all ended up with the same goal."

"Yes... It is," he smiled.

"Here we are," she nodded to the building on their left before taking the key out of the waist band of her drenched kimono.

"Wow, much better accomdations than we had before," he laughed.

"Definitely. I would say that you're not gonna believe the modern convinces but I'm sure you're seen most of them," she smiled.

"I'm sure I've seen some but I don't know how complicated this age is. I'm not sure I am up for all of the craziness."

"Oh, you'll get used to it. You'll wonder how we lived back then," she laughed, knowing they could truely appreciate the extreme difference in the ages. She pushed the door open quickly, though she knew it didn't matter any longer whether they made it in quickly or not. The pair made their way into the large building with her leading the way. When they reached a large metal door she paused and pushed a red button. After a moment the doors opened to reveal a small room. She entered, motioning for Yuri follow her. He obeyed and took his place next to her. He smiled as the elevator lifted them past floor after floor.  
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End file.
